Salt and pepper shaker.



C. A. CONGER.

SALT AND PEPPER SHAKER. APPLICATION FILED AUG.2I. 1912.

Patented Sept. 21, 1915.

INVENTOR amen; (s 7. C0 N667? ATTORNEY 3:

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

CHARLES A. GONGER, 0F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

SALT AND PEPPER SHAKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 2i, iota.

Application filed August 21, 1912; Serial No. 715,204.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, CHARLES A. CoNenn, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of @akland, in the countyof Alameda and State of California, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Salt and Pepper Shakers, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention relates to improvements in combined salt and peppershakers from which either material may be dispensed at will.

The object of my invention is to provide a shaker of this character ofan improved and simple construction which will greatly reduce the costof manufacture thereof.

Another object of my invention is to provide a shaker of the characterdescribed in which the supply of the materials in the shaker may beobserved without opening the shaker.

- A. further object of my invention is to provide means for pulverizingor breaking up the salt lumps, which is rendered inoperative and silentwhen pepper is being dispensed.

Another object of my invention is to provide a metallic shaker having anovel form of dividing partition and which is constructed and assembledwithout the use of solder.

The invention possesses other advantageous features which, withthe'foregoing will be set forth at length in the following description,where I shall outline in full that form of the invention which I haveselected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming partof the'present specification. L

Referring to said drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical section of the shakertaken through the discharge portions. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view ofthe shaker with the top closing plate removed. Fig. 3 is a verticalsection of a modified form of shaker, in which the lower part of thebody is made of glass. Fig. 4: is a detail showing the glass cylinderand the lower closing plate.

The device comprises a cylindrical body 2, preferably formed of thinmetal, which is closed at the top and bottom by the dos ing plates 3 and4 respectively.' The top plate 3 is secured to the body by means of thecap 5 which is crimped or rolledunder a flange on the upper end of thebody. The lowerclosing' plate 4 is preferably formed integral with thebase '6', which isprov'ided along its upper edge with a circumferentialshoulder over which the lower end of the body is crimped or rolled. Theentire device is made without the use of solder; the various parts beingeither crimped or rolled together, or being frictionally held together.The body is divided into two compartments 78 by the vertical partition 9which is frictionally held in position. The partition is formed of athin sheet of} metal formed in a tortuous curve, and before beinginserted in the body, has a width in excess of the diameter of the'body.When it is inserted in the body therefore, it presses against the sidesof the cylinder, making a close joint with said sides and being firmlyheld in place. By varying the curvature of the partition, therelative'sizes of the two compartments will be varied, and prefer toconstruct the partition as shown, so that the compartment 7 which isdesigned to hold salt, will be larger than compartment 8 which isdesigned to contain pepper. The top and bottom walls 34 are bowedslightly downward and upward respectively before the parts are assembledand are straightened or flattened by the partition when assembled, sothat a tight joint is formed along the top and bottom of the partition,thereby completely isolating the two compartments. The partition iscurved at the side edges so that it makes a material contact with'theside of the body, thereby making a tight joint and overcoming any slightirregularities which may occur on the edges of the partition.

Arrangedin the'bottom wall 4 are screw threaded ferrules 1213registering with theseparatecompartments. These ferrules are preferablymade of unequal sizes, the larger one 18 registering with the largercompartment-7. Engaging theseferrules are screw plugs 1415, which areremovable to allow the compartments to be charged. These plugs are madeof such length that unless they are screwed firmly to their seat, thelower ends thereof will project below the bottom of the base, therebyserving to indicate to the observer whether or not the plugs areproperly seated. Should they be not properly seated,the shaker will tiltwhen it is set down. The base 6 is formed with outwardly flaring sides,thereby producing in effect, a funnel which is very advantageous incharging the material into the separate compartments Diametricallyarranged on opposite sides of the body adjacent the top aresubstantially hemi-spherical protuberances1617 which engage the edges ofand cover apertures in the body. These apertures and their correspondingprotuberances register with the separate compartments, the protuberance17 forming part of compartment 7 being the are arranged in the upperportion thereof, sothat no material will sift or fall from theperforations onto the table or other support when the shaker is setdown. When the device is used, it is tilted to a substantiallyhorizontal position with one of the protuberances at the lower side.Part of the material inthe lower compartment falls into the protuberancefrom which the desired amount is discharged by shaking. By this means,the tendency of the material to. cake and clog at the dischargeperforation, due to the weight of the material behind, is prevented,since only a portion of the material enters the protuberance. y

Seated in the bead on protuberance 17 and extending into compartment 7is a guard 21 formed of a single piece of wire bent into a double loop,which operates to hold the ball 22 inoperative relation with'regard tothe protuberance. The guard, other than holding the ball in position,operates as a screen to break the larger lumps of salt, which afterpassing into the protuberance are crushed into finer particles by theball crusher 22. apart a distance slightly less than the diameter of theball and are bent at the center to form the hemi-spherical loops 23.When pepper is being dispensed, the ball falls between these loops, asindicated in the dotted lines in Fig. 1 and is held in that position,

thereby preventing it from ratting when the device is shaken.

In Figs. 3 and 4, I have shown a modification in which the lower part ofthe body is formed of a glass cylinder 24, sothat the supply ofmaterials in the compartments may be-readily noted. The glass cylinderis formed with the same internaldiameter as the metallic body and isprovided at its upper and lower edges with beads '25'and 26, which areprovided at intervals with notches 27. The body 2 is crimped over thebead 25 and a drop of japan of similar material placed in each notchwhich on hardening prevents a rotation of the glass with reference tothe body. In this construction the bottom closing plate 28 is formedseparately from'the base 6 and is held in place by arranging it betweenthe glass cylinder and the base, and crimping the edge of the base Theguard wires are spaced over the bead 26. The plate 28 is provided 2 withseveral small projections 29 corresponding to the notches in bead 26 andthese projections engage in their respective notches and holdthe twoparts against relative rotation.

I claim: 7 r

1. A salt andpepper shaker comprising a cylindrical body, fiat top andbottom closing plates permanently secured thereto, attortuously curvedpartition frictionally engaging the sides of the body and dividing thebody into two compartments of unequal size,

a hollow base secured to said body 'andelevating saidbottom closingplate, said body being provided adjacent the top with diametricallydisposed apertures of unequal size, the larger aperture re istering withsubstantially the larger compartment, an hemispherical protuberancespermanently secured to said body and covering said apertures, saidprotuberances being provided at the upper portions only with dischargeperforations. V 1 2. A salt and pepper shaker comprising a into twocompartmentsya discharge portion for each compartment arranged on theduotile cylinder, and filling means for each compartment.

3. A saltand pepper shaker comprisinga 7 body, a partition dividing saidbody into two compartments, said body being provided with two outletscommunicating respectively with'said compartments,'a crusher adapted tocrush the material in the outlet of one of from saidcompartment-throughsaid outlet and means for holdingsaid crusherstationary as the material is shaken from the other compartment throughits outlet.

said compartments as the material isshaken 4 4. A salt and pepper shakercomprising a 5 body, a partition dividing said body into twocompartments, an outlet in one of said compartments, an aperture in theother compartment, a perforated discharge protuber- I ance fitting insaid aperture, a flange and a bead on said protuberance engaging theedge of said aperture-and holding said pr0tuber ance in position on thebody, a wire guard seated in said bead within said protuberance,

and a ball confined by said guard within said protuberance adapted tocrush the material. as it is shaken through said protuberance from thecompartment with which said protuberance communicates, said guardber,

ing provided with two inwardly projecting portionsbetween which saidball is adapted to be held against movement, while the material in thecompartment with which the said outlet communicates is shaken throughsaid outlet.

5. A device of the character disclosed comprising a base, a receptaclebody mounted upon said base, a bottom receptacle wall, a partitionresting upon said bottom receptacle wall and extending longitudinally ofsaid receptacle body, said partition being greater in width than thediameter of said receptacle body, said partition being bowed to reduceits direct transverse dimension so that it may fit within saidreceptacle body with its side edges engaging the receptacle body wallunder tension, a top receptacle wall resting upon the upper edge of saidpartition, a cap, said cap engaging said top wall, said can and top wallbeing crimped to the top of said receptacle body so as to draw said walltightly against the upper edge of said partition, said receptacle beingprovided with an outlet'in its upper portion at each side of saidpartition.

6. A device of the character disclosed comprising a receptacle closed atboth ends by top and bottom walls, a partition extending longitudinallywithin said receptacle with its ends engaging said top and bottom walls,said partition being bowed transversely so that its side edges engageunder tension the side walls of said receptacle, said receptacle beingprovided with an outlet at each side of said partition.

7. A device of the character disclosed comprising a receptacle closed atboth ends by top and bottom walls, a partition extending longitudinallywithin said receptacle with its ends engaging said top and bottom walls,

said partition being bowed transversely so that its side edges engageunder tension the side walls, the side edges of said partition beingcurved so as to adapt themselves readily to the side walls of thereceptacle and form a tight joint between the partition and thereceptacle side walls, said receptacle being provided with an outlet ateach side of said partition.

8. In a device of the character described a receptacle divided into twocompartments, a protruding wall in each compartment opposite theprotruding wall in the other compartment, each of said protruding wallsprovided with perforations, a ball in one of said protruding wallsadapted to crush the contents thereof when said protruding wall isturned downward and the receptacle is shaken, and means for holding theball against movement when the opposite protruding wall is turneddownward and the contents thereof shaken out through the perforationstherein.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Francisco, Cal,this 16th day of August 1912.

H. G. Pnosr, M. LE GoNrn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

